PC Gaming & Dual Core Processors?

[XCorvis]

I'm on XP with a Dual Core Athlon 64 X2 4200+, and I hadn't even HEARD of a patch until now. My system is rock solid. I don't think I've had a single crash since I built it 6 months ago. Could someone link the patches in question? I'd like to check them out.

 

[XCorvis]

So are you saying then that a Dual Core CPU is not as good a buy as led to believe?

He's implying the opposite. Dual core CPUs are widespread and relatively cheap for the midrange market. The Pentium 4 is overpriced. The Intel Core Duo 2 is a better deal, but you're not looking to replace your mainboard (right?) so that's not really an option. Likewise, reasonably priced quad-core CPUs are coming, but I think they'll need a different socket and they're not here yet.

Go with the 3800+, or faster if you can afford it.

 

[Rl'Halsinor]

He's implying the opposite. Dual core CPUs are widespread and relatively cheap for the midrange market. The Pentium 4 is overpriced. The Intel Core Duo 2 is a better deal, but you're not looking to replace your mainboard (right?) so that's not really an option. Likewise, reasonably priced quad-core CPUs are coming, but I think they'll need a different socket and they're not here yet.

Go with the 3800+, or faster if you can afford it.

Thanks for helping clear that up. If you Google "MS Dual Core Patch" and "AMD Dual Core Optimizer" that should get you there.

And you are correct, I will not be changing my motherboard. My EPoX 9NPA+Ultra is really rock solid. So I'll get the X2 3800+; I wish I could afford higher though.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

Programs not coded for dual cores do not directly take advantage of them. That does not mean that the other processes you tend to run at the same time as your game will not take direct advantage of your dual core, however, because they do.

In that sense, even an older non-daul core game will indirectly benefit from the dual core setup, because your other applications are reaping those benefits.

In my opinion, the point is moot and largely academic. The question which is relevant is: should I get a dual core processor and will I see benefits of that when running my applications and playing games?

The answer is yes and yes; though the direct benefits for some are greater than the indirect benefits when running others. Moreover, most people purchase new equipment not simply to enjoy good performance today - but to enjoy it tomorrow as well. And it is fair to say that dual core keeps getting better while single core keeps getting relatively worse in terms of performance.

Could you get better performance for a game on a very fast single core processor than a slower dual core? Yes, in some instances this can be true. But it is increasingly less true - and is quickly becomes false when you are running other applications at the same time. Sometimes that's a voice communication package, or a bittorent client or even something like WinAmp or iTunes... it doesn't take much to observe a benefit.

What he said.

I'm running an oc'd Opteron 165 and the extra core helps when running other stuff in the background while I play WoW.

 

[borc killer]

I will be upgrading from my Athlon 64 3200+ to an X2 3800+ Manchester. My question is how do older games such as Morrowind, Comand & Conquer, etc., do with the newer dual core processors?

For those who utilize dual core and play these older games is there anything to be aware of? Any known issues? Thanks.

I just got a 3800+ for my AM2 motherboard (an MIS) and I have been getting the oddest crashes I have ever had. Going to be install Vista on it soon to see if that helps...

/sigh

 

[drothgery]

He's implying the opposite. Dual core CPUs are widespread and relatively cheap for the midrange market.

Yup, that's what I was saying. Except at the extreme low end (CPUs costing less than $100), there are no single core CPUs available that are better in anything than dual-core CPUs available at the same price +/-$10. At the extreme high end, there are some dual-cores that are better than quad-cores at about the same price except in a few CPU-heavy benchmarks.

 

[Rl'Halsinor]

I just got a 3800+ for my AM2 motherboard (an MIS) and I have been getting the oddest crashes I have ever had. Going to be install Vista on it soon to see if that helps...

/sigh

before you load Vista, check out this thread:

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid=32&threadid=2022849&enterthread=y

 

[DaveMage]

Has anyone tried a quad-core system yet?

 

[drothgery]

Has anyone tried a quad-core system yet?

I run stuff at work on a few servers with 2 dual-core CPUs. Does that count?

Really, except for video editing and a few other things that scale extremely well with extra CPUs, quad-core is not especially useful on the desktop.

 

[John Crichton]

Has anyone tried a quad-core system yet?

... is coming on Friday.

Review to come.